The long arm V osteotomy for the fifth metatarsal.

A long arm V osteotomy of the fifth metatarsal is presented for the correction of tailor's bunions. The osteotomy is performed in the sagittal plane, perpendicular to the long axis of the metatarsal shaft. The long lateral arm increases the bone-to-bone contact and allows increased medial transposition. Three intrinsic locking mechanisms provide stability and eliminate the need for fixation. A 26-month retrospective analysis of 33 procedures is examined. Excellent or good results were obtained in 94% of the cases.